US Says Sanctions on India Aimed at Ending Ukraine-Russia War

The United States claims that sanctions imposed on India have pressured Russian President Vladimir Putin to join ceasefire talks in Alaska. Led by President Donald Trump, Washington slapped a 50% tariff on Indian goods, primarily targeting India’s purchase of over a million barrels of Russian oil daily. Trump criticized India as a poor trading partner and accused it of indirectly supporting the Ukraine war, sparking a diplomatic storm. US official Karoline Leavitt asserted that the economic pressure played a role in bringing Russia to the table. India defended its oil imports as vital, with Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal denouncing the tariffs as “unfair.” While the US insists Indian oil buys finance Moscow’s war, critics note similar trades by China and Turkey. Experts caution the escalating tariff war could strain US-India ties and risk economic instability.